“The Novel Hatchery: Moving a Novel Idea into Its First Draft” ONLINE with Stacey Swann
March 12, 2020 6:30 PM - 9:30 PM CDT
- This event has passed.
This Event is for Members only.
Click here to learn more about benefits of membership
This class is part of the “Fill That Blank Page” Online Class Package. To purchase the class package at a special price, click here. This class will open for individual purchase on Tuesday, February 18.
All registrants will have access to the class recording for one week.
$49 for members (sign in for member pricing)
Are you trying to move past the first stage of the novel writing process and into the next development?
Writers often have a great idea for a novel but aren’t sure how to dive in. Or they have already begun but hit an early wall. No matter the type of novel, this class will increase students’ skills and confidence to jump in head first. Discussion will explore the following areas:
- Foundational pre-writing, getting a clearer sense of characters and their problems
- Roadmaps, whether they be detailed outlines or a handful of bullet points
- Crafting effective opening chapters
- Using craft elements to expand drafts: stakes, theme, and setting
This class is designed for students ready for their novels to crack open their shells, grow and fly to completion.
TAKE THIS CLASS IF
- You started a novel during National Novel Writing Month and are trying to take it to the next stage in its development.
- You’re worried that you’re not giving yourself enough balls to juggle to reach the end of the book.
- Parts of your novel feel fuzzy to you, and you’d like to clarify them.
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT THIS CLASS
- “Stacey Swann was very engaging and responsive.”
- “Writing exercises really helped me get back in the flow of my book, and great resources to turn to after class.”
- “Lots of useful information pertinent to writers at all levels. Handouts and references with additional relevant craft instruction.”
Instructor
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Stacey Swann’s debut novel Olympus, Texas—published in 2021 by Doubleday, W&N (UK), and Bompiani (Italy)—was a Good Morning America Book Club pick, an Indie Next selection, and longlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize. Swann holds an M.F.A. from Texas State University and was a Stegner Fellow at Stanford University. Her stories have appeared in Epoch, Memorious, Versal, and other journals, and she is a contributing editor of American Short Fiction.
Before purchasing, please read all policies as noted below and on our Classes page.
If your browser has difficulty with our website store, or if you prefer to mail in a check, click here for a class registration form. The document provides instructions on where to mail it. If you prefer this option, please email wlt@writersleague.org with a copy of the form as well. We are working out of our office at this time.
Class & Event Registration Policy
Once a purchase has been made, registrations are not refundable and cannot be transferred to a different class or event. No exceptions will be made. If you purchase a registration and then find you cannot attend the class or event, someone else can attend in your stead. Simply contact us at wlt@writersleague.org and let us know the name and contact information for the person who will be using the registration so that we can update the class or event roster.
Credit Card Transaction Handling Fee Policy
All credit card transactions will incur a 4% handling fee. If you’d prefer to pay by check for membership, a class, or an event, you can use the provided forms on the membership or event pages and mail to: WLT, P.O. Box 14355, Austin, TX, 78704.
HOW WLT CLASSES WORK:
Our classes offer a combination of lecture and practical exercises, determined by the individual instructor, on focused aspects of the craft and business of writing. Your fellow participants will come from a range of writing experience, from beginners to people with MFA degrees and published books. WLT instructors, participants, and administrators all work together to create a welcoming, supportive environment.If you haven’t taken a class with us in recent years, feel free to email WLT Program Director Sam Babiak at sam@writersleague.org if you’d like to discuss whether our programming is the right fit for your needs.
HOW ONLINE CLASSES WORK:
Once you register for the class, you’ll receive an email with detailed instructions no later than 48 hours before the class date. You should expect 2-2.5 hours of direct teaching and 30 minutes of Q&A (for three hours total). If you need to leave the class early or can’t attend the class on that date, all registrants will have access to the recording for one month after the class date. No microphone or camera required, just an Internet connection capable of streaming video. All online classes are hosted on Zoom. To learn more about how Zoom works, click HERE.
Plan to log in to the online platform several hours before the class so that you can update your software or any other settings required to access the platform. (Updates usually only take a few minutes, but you don’t want to wait until the beginning of class.) Questions? Email us at wlt@writersleague.org.
This project is supported in part by the Cultural Arts Division of the City of Austin Economic Development Department. Visit Austin at NowPlayingAustin.com.
Writers’ League of Texas classes and workshops are also funded in part by the Texas Commission on the Arts – Investing in a Creative Texas. For more information, go to www.arts.texas.gov.
This project is also supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. To find out more about how National Endowment for the Arts grants impact individuals and communities, visit www.arts.gov.
This project is supported in part by the Mid-America Arts Alliance. For more information, go to www.maaa.org.
